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Oct 03 2020

TO WHERE I AM NOW

The wind was howling today but it seemed to blow away the rain. The trees weren’t exactly bending but the leaves were rustling and you knew that winter’s encroaching army was at our borders and about to invade from the north. There were ice galleons, freezing machines, storm waves, bitter fingers, the chattering teeth of black-eyed beasts. There were frost dogs lurking in the falling leaves and the trees themselves were changing sides as they went from flourishing soft-eyed benevolent giants to bare, spikey, undressed, harsh, raw, skeletal ghouls towering over the landscape, once friend, now foe. Once protection for the animals, the birds and the insects now a naked petrified monster. Once a place where children climbed sitting amongst the leaves on the boughs, now cowering, running in fear as they uproot and chase down stumbling frightened men and women, flanked by ice spears and groaning mountain blizzards.

It seemed normal outside, it seemed normal inside too, we completed three more vocals with Ahad as the day came to a close and we continued with our regular schedule – eating Quorn, watching Californians in Space and earlier for me swimming a mile, today in record time. But with the virus stories everywhere in the world, doubting leaders falling sick, England and Wales falling out of Europe, taking Northern Ireland with them, Scotland fighting to stay. It’s what we call the new normal and one wonders how we can get on with our lives despite the anxiety that surrounds us.

There was the sound of branches brushing against the window. At first, it was soft and then it was banging as if the beasts were attempting to break through the glass and then it stopped. There was silence and the silence was worse than the banging. The silence creates fear because the imagination becomes acute. In the battle there’s no time to consider what might happen, it’s already happening. The longer the silence the more active the imagination and although the banging didn’t return the fear that it might creates a small rip.

It started as a slight line that seemed to hover in the archive, just above the Funk and R&B section. As the crack, in reality, began to grow and distort the room, I was sure I heard the distant sounds of a fuzzy guitar and a grooving bass, the steady beat of drums. The guitar was peeling off the notes, the singer had a deep tone, melodic and sensuous. Suddenly the slit widened and here in the room was a window that revealed a stage and on that stage was Sly and the Family Stone performing from the past, from the Fillmore East this month, tomorrow in 1968. You could see the beads of sweat on Sly’s forehead and feel the rumble of Larry Graham’s bass, the steady feel of Greg Errico’s beat. Cynthia Robinson held her trumpet and Jerry Martini his sax by their sides like Sci-Fi weapons and Freddie and Rose heads down and vibing as Sly sang I Want To Take You Higher – our fear was unfounded, the only invasion was the steady forward march of music.

Thanks to everyone that took the opportunity to get a copy of the first MOAT album via Bandcamp and/or purchase some digital versions of the back catalogue. This as we prepare for the next MOAT song from the Poison Stream album, Acid Rain, to be unleashed into the universe on Wednesday, October 7th. An Indiegogo campaign begins on the same day so you can preorder and help us manufacture, promote and recoup the investment – so we can do it again with another project. Also, it’s great to see all the pictures of Nightjar from Record Store Day, in your trees, in your pets’ baskets and even on your turntables. Thank you for finding it, buying and taking a pic and putting it somewhere where we could extract it for the gallery. I’m also hoping that you may be listening to it.

An interesting record came through the post today. Coloursound, the collaboration between Billy Duffy from The Cult and Mike Peters from The Alarm, originally released in 1999. The other day the latest Skids album arrived, Peaceful Times (2019), along with Bill Fay’s Countless Branches (2020). All vinyl, so many records, so little time.

Music today is, of course, Sly and the Family Stone and their great double Greatest Hits Anthology album released on Epic in 1981, an absolute must-have for your record collection. Then there’s the 2015 Record Store Day double album, Live At The Fillmore East from 1968.

Song Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

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Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #m Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #moatband #poisonstream 🤘🏰

T-Shirt Design by Reid Wilson
Photo by @oliviaelektra 

#schoolkidsrecords #nikoröhlcke #wellscathedral
Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower disco 🕺🏻 #heyday
Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th Fe Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th February, 2001. All About Eve supporting Fairport Convention.

📷 by @derektimbrell
Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
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In Deep Music Archive

Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
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"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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